


Unstoppable Force

by EmeraldTulip



Series: The Irresistible Force Paradox [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Extended Scene, Gen, M/M, One Shot, Post-Canon, Will's POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 06:47:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19969762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldTulip/pseuds/EmeraldTulip
Summary: Mike never says a word about their argument, not after Will snapped at him as they sat in the rain. But as El’s leg heals, so do they. It starts like this:“Hey,” Mike says.





	Unstoppable Force

**Author's Note:**

> part two of two short fics I have, each of which follows mike and will's thoughts about each other during their conflicts. this one is will's. the last one was mike's.  
> enjoy!

Will can feel a few tears escaping his eyes as he bikes away, mingling with the rain on his cheeks.

This isn’t _fair_.

He just wants to be normal. He wants to play games with his friends. He wants to be able to sleep through the night. He wants a girlfriend…

But of course, therein lies the problem—and apparently, Mike knows it. Because Will _doesn’t_ want a girlfriend, and he’s starting to fear that he never will.

And it’s not fair, because Will just wants to move on, to get past everything that’s gone wrong. He wishes he’d gone to Dustin’s, or even followed El and Max from the mall. He wishes that he had been anywhere but Mike’s.

Because if he hadn’t been at Mike’s, this wouldn’t have happened. Maybe, just _maybe_ , if Will had left, Mike would have been hurt, the way Will feels hurt now.

Maybe Will wants him to hurt.

(He doesn’t. He _doesn’t_.)

* * *

Mike never says a word about their argument, not after Will snapped at him as they sat in the rain. But as El’s leg heals, so do they. It starts like this:

“Hey,” Mike says, hand still raised where it had been knocking on the door.

 _El’s not here,_ Will wants to say, but then he remembers that they’re broken up anyway so Mike probably isn’t here for her.

Mike just shifts awkwardly under his stare. “I, uh.” When he can’t seem to find the right words, he reaches into his pocket and draws out a slip of paper, extending an arm to Will. “D’you… want to go to the movies? With me?”

Will lifts an eyebrow, then. “Only if you’re okay being seen with immature little me.”

Mike grimaces. “ _I_ was immature.” He unzips his backpack and tosses a pack of M&Ms to Will, who manages to catch it without making a fool of himself. “Come on, we shouldn’t be late.”

* * *

Three months can change a lot, and Will is almost scared to think about what the coming _year_ will do.

Three months has meant that the sour feeling that wells up in Will’s throat when he sees Mike has faded. Three months means that he’s finally getting used to having a sister. Three months means that he has to leave.

And three months also means that Will finally knows why what Mike did hurt him so badly.

It’s because what Mike said was true, _is_ true, and it was worse coming from Mike because Mike is the reason. When he said that it wasn’t his fault… Will knows it was. Mike doesn’t know it, but it _is_ his fault that Will feels like this. Because if Mike was meaner, if he wasn’t so goddamn _chivalrous_ , maybe Will wouldn’t be in this position.

And now he has to leave. He has to leave, and he’s going to leave them all behind, and in his heart he knows that they’re not coming back. And that means that Mike will never, _ever_ , know.

He gathers up the courage to tell El one night, and she just smiles sadly.

“I know,” she says. “But… life goes on.” She takes his hand. “And now I have you.”

“I have you,” Will repeats, because she’s his sister and he loves her.

* * *

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, people say, and Will can attest to that statement. He doesn’t miss Hawkins—it would be hard to miss the place that almost killed you. But he misses the people.

He misses Mr. Clarke, because Mr. Dore is boring. He misses Max, because none of the girls at his new school have any fire to them. He misses Lucas and Dustin, because no there’s no one to goof off with in the AV room at lunch. And he misses Mike, because—

He doesn’t know exactly why, really. He just knows he does.

His radio emits a pattern of taps as he lies in bed, and he translates them into letters in his notebook.

 _When will I see you again?_ Mike asks, and Will’s heart twists.

It’s been one year, two months, and thirteen days. The day they’ve all planned for a reunion is drawing nearer and nearer, and dread pools in Will’s stomach. Their plans are in flux, now—an emergency with Jonathan’s college admission—and Will selfishly hopes that the situation drags on. If he sees Mike again, if they both see how much the other has changed…

 _Soon_ , he taps.

In reality, he thinks: _someday._

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are, as always, appreciated.  
> find me on tumblr, my main is [@perseusjaxon](https://perseusjaxon.tumblr.com) and my writing blog is [@lowriting](https://lowriting.tumblr.com)!


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